"Why does it bother you so much?"
Rin's quiet words hung in the air like smoke. His voice was soft but unflinching, his amber eyes locked onto Kael's. The question pierced through the tense silence of the room, sharper than any blade.
Kael froze—his body taut, breath caught in his throat. He didn't have an answer. Or maybe he did, but it wasn't one he was ready to face. Rin's gaze was steady, unyielding, almost too knowing, and it made Kael's chest tighten painfully.
Why did it bother him?
Why did the faint scent of another Alpha's pheromones on Rin make his blood boil?
Kael's thoughts spiraled—rage, confusion, and something darker twisting inside him. He could still imagine that damned moment in the hallway, the chaos, the smoke, and Rin—vulnerable and unguarded. What if someone else had found him? What if someone else had touched him, marked him? The thought alone sent a violent tremor through Kael's chest, something primal and possessive clawing its way out of the darkness he'd tried to suppress for so long.
His jaw clenched, his pulse pounding in his ears. He didn't want anyone else near Rin. Not their hands, not their eyes, not their filthy thoughts.
The image of Ray smirking, talking about Rin with that tone—it was enough to make his vision blur with rage. Kael wanted to destroy anyone who dared think of Rin like that. He didn't just want to protect him; he wanted to claim him, to erase every trace of another's scent from his skin. And that realization—it terrified him more than he'd ever admit.
Rin said nothing at first, only watching Kael with calm, unreadable eyes. He didn't rush him—just stood there, quiet and steady, letting the Alpha collect his tangled thoughts. When Kael took a bit too long to answer, Rin's voice came again, quiet but firm.
"Why does it bother you?" he asked. "People have spoken worse to me before. I've heard it all. It's not the first time, and it won't be the last… so why are you the one bothered?"
Kael's chest tightened at those words. The thought that Rin had been through worse—that he'd had to protect himself, endure cruelty in silence—made something sharp twist in his gut. He imagined Rin, alone and cornered, keeping his head down, hiding who he truly was just to survive. The idea made Kael's hands curl into fists. He didn't want Rin to suffer anymore. He wanted to stand in front of him—shield him—not as an Alpha claiming an Omega, but as himself, a man who simply couldn't bear to see Rin hurt.
Finally, Kael spoke, voice low but trembling with emotion.
"I don't want them to touch you. Or look at you like that. Just thinking about it makes me want to tear their eyes out."
Rin's eyes softened slightly, but he asked again, "Why?"
Kael leaned in, their faces only inches apart. His voice was low, rough with emotion.
"Because you're mine," he said.
Rin's breath caught. His amber eyes widened slightly as he stared up at Kael, unable to look away. The Alpha's words seemed to echo through him, leaving his pulse unsteady. Kael's gaze dropped, lingering on Rin's face—on the faint color rising to his cheeks, on the soft parting of his lips.
Kael leaned in a bit, their face inches apart.
His eyes fell on those slightly parted lips. The lips were a little pale in color, but they looked soft, tempting to Kael.
They were slightly parted, like inviting Kael to taste them. And Kael, he didn't hesitate and pressed his lips on Rin's.
Rin froze up completely. His brain stopped functioning. Totally blank.
It was his first kiss!
He didn't know what to do; he didn't know why the alpha suddenly kissed him, but his thoughts drifted to only one thing— Kaels' lips.
He didn't expect the alpha's lips to be so soft.
He looked at Kael, who was looking at him with his intense gaze. Kael was looking at Rin the entire time, taking in every change of expression in Rin's eye, how his eyes widened when he kissed him, and his dazed look.
Kael pulls back a bit, just enough distance for him to talk.
He looked at Rin and said in a commanding voice, " Close your eyes."
When the words fell, it was as if Rin had been waiting for his command. He closed his eyes.
Kael leaned in again, and this time he held Rin's waist in one hand and his other hand moved upward in Rin's hair. He gently runs his finger through his scalp.
Rin didn't know where to put his hand. When Kael pulls him a bit close, Rin places his hands on Kael's chest.
Kael pulled Rin closer to himself, leaving no space within them there bodies were glued to each other.
Kael leaned in again, this time it wasn't just a peck, he took Rin's lower lip in his mouth and suck it.
Rin gasped when his lip was sucked and his hand on Kaels' chest curled and held the alpha's shirt.
Kael noticed Rin's little reaction; his focus was all on Rin, and he was loving these reactions. He wanted to see more, he wanted to hear more of Rin's gasp, his moans. Kael shifted his focus to Rin's lips. He did everything his instincts were screaming for him to do. He again took his lower lip in his mouth and suck. After sucking on it, he took the lip in his teeth and bit on it, not too hard, just enough for Rin to give a voice that was something between a gasp and a moan.
Kael, after doing the same thing with the upper lip, pushes his tongue inside and tries to pry Rin's teeth open with his tongue, but Rin doesn't.
Kael gave his waist a squeeze that caused Rin to gasp and open his eyes.
Kael took this chance and pushed his tongue inside the open mouth. Rin, seeing Kaels closed eyes, also closed his eyes. Kael tastes every part of Rin's mouth. They kissed until Rin felt like his lungs couldn't function anymore. He tapped Kael's chest, and Kael backed away a bit. Rin took a deep breath to catch as much oxygen as possible.
He looked up with his teary eyes to see Kael looking at him.
Rin didn't know how seductive he looked; his face was flushed, his mouth slightly open, taking breaths to catch oxygen that Kael stole from him. His pale lips have turned red from all the sucking, and he was looking at Kael with a dazed look. All of these were doing things to Kael, especially his red, swollen lips that were inviting him, and he didn't think twice and again dove in to kiss Rin.